1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a foldable electric bicycle capable of being folded for convenience of storage and transportation thereof, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an electric bicycle includes a frame constituting the bicycle, wheels mounted to the frame, a drive motor to rotate the wheels, and a battery to supply power to the drive motor. The electric bicycle runs in a manner of rotating the wheels by the drive motor.
The drive motor rotates when a user turns a throttle which is an acceleration means located at a handle, and the wheels turn by rotation of the drive motor such that the electric bicycle moves forward.
Since the existing electric bicycle has an integrally formed frame, storage and transportation thereof are inconvenient.
In recent years, a foldable electric bicycle having a structure in which a front frame and a rear frame rotate about a center frame to be foldable has been developed. In such a foldable electric bicycle, a locking pin, which passes through the front frame, the center frame, and the rear frame, is unlocked by only operation of an actuation lever in a state of allowing a user to grip the center frame, so that the front frame and the rear frame rotate about the center frame to be folded. In more detail, when a user lightly lifts the center frame after unlocking the locking pin by operation of the actuation lever, a front wheel joined to the front frame a rear wheel joined to the rear frame are rolled to be gathered toward the center frame such that the front frame and the rear frame are folded about the center frame.
However, since a predetermined force or more is required for the existing foldable electric bicycle when the front frame and the rear frame are folded about the center frame, the elderly and infirm or the women may be cumbersome and difficult in folding the electric bicycle.